Water

Commentary

‘Moving the rain,’ creating California

We Californians grabbed nothing less than the edge of a continent, 1,000 miles in length. Highest mountain, lowest desert, longest coast, most epic valley, riparian forest, redwood forest, wetland, grassland and inland sea. The rain fell 125 inches a year in one place and seven inches a year in the other place. A land this crazy makes people crazy.

By Guest Commentary • June 2, 2019

Newsletters

Gas-powered engines, Democrats’ turmoil, and clean water

r Resources Board chair delivers message to auto industry. Proposed clean water tax hits snag. California Democrats prepare to elect new chair.

By Dan Morain • May 28, 2019

Commentary

Key conflicts roil California’s ever-evolving waterscape

How the state's water supplies are divvied up over the next few years could shift them from agriculture to urban use and environmental enhancement.

By Dan Walters • May 15, 2019

Newsletters

Drawing lines on privacy, wildfire, water and schools

San Francisco bans use of facial-recognition technology. PG&E's new CEO to face lawmakers today. Attorney general sues to stop raising of Shasta Dam.

By Dan Morain • May 15, 2019

Commentary

New currents of cooperation on California’s wicked water problems

Difficult negotiations on how to efficiently and fairly share water among farmers, cities including San Francisco, and fish and wildlife have been underway since 2012 with little resolution in sight—until last month. With the leadership of the Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration, representatives of farmers, cities and conservation groups are having productive negotiations.

By Guest Commentary • May 14, 2019

Newsletters

Huge surplus, mental illness, the Delta tunnel, and facial recognition

Huge budget surplus to benefit schools, Gov. Gavin Newsom vows to fight homelessness, new fees proposed to ensure access to clean water

By Dan Morain • May 10, 2019

Commentary

How better wastewater management can help California adapt to climate change

Climate change is worsening water scarcity and flood risks. Advancements in engineering and technology can help prepare wastewater agencies for a changing climate. But significant shifts in policy and planning are needed to address these challenges.

By Guest Commentary • May 9, 2019

Commentary

Yes, we need clean water. But it must remain tax-free

Taxing water, food and other essential needs would limit their affordability and betray our collective resolve that no one should be denied the essentials for health, sanitation and freedom from hunger and thirst.

By Guest Commentary • April 9, 2019

Newsletters

Spring assortment: Scooters, speech, shopping, gardens, homes, wildlife

A wet winter turns to spring, two die in e-scooter wrecks, California comes for paper receipts, a pesticide verdict, mountain lions, falcon eggs, tweets.

By Dan Morain • March 21, 2019

Commentary

Delta interests should seize the opportunity to cease water fights

By proposing to build one cross-Delta tunnel instead of two, Gov. Gavin Newsom has opened the door for a grand compromise on water in California. The Delta’s many interests should seize this opportunity.

By Guest Commentary • February 21, 2019